The Hijras of Mumbai

The author is new to News Vine and is writing this with his eyes shut and hands tied, yes the author is a photo blogger and without a picture ..a post can be absolutely soulless...

The Hijras are Indian transgender , who live on the fringe of society as Untouchables , found guilty much before they are proved innocent.

I have been shooting the Hijras for over 5 years and they have their own ancient ethnicity.. their own gods and deities.

The hIjras have their own hierarchy headed by a Naik beneath him is the Guru who has disciples known as chelas.

I am a heterosexual male, straight orientation, but I have a hijra guru Laxmi Narayan Tripathi..Hijra global icon..
We were friends since many years , one day seeing that I was facing hurdles shooting the Hijra community which is an esoteric group , she made me her disciple.

I have shot child eunuchs, children that are born with gender deformities and handed over to the hijras gladly, specially in rural areas , to escape the ignominy of having to bring up a eunuch child in society.

The other curse to the Hijras life is the draconian criminal law against the hijdas and homosexuals called the Article 377 - a sodomy law of old, a heritage left behind by the British.

Hijdas are human and should be treated humanly, is my premise and through my blogs, I have tried to bring their lives up close..

This is my quest -my lifes goal as a photographer to show you their world of failing dreams.

I have written hijra poetry a new genre to show their fight against the system that wont give them a chance to rehabilitate..so the Hijra earns money as dancers , beggars and prostitutes.

Most of the prostitute Hijras are located at the notorious Hijra Cages at Gully No 1 Kamatipura in Mumbai.. and some at Peela House the Mumbai red light area Cages.

The Hijras are very religious and during the Urus at Ajmer and Haji Malang you will find them in gay abundance , paying their offerings to the Holy Saints.

In the South in Tamil Nadu close to Vilupuram it is the Koovagam Eunuch festival in May ..all the HIjras throng to the deity at Koothandavar..get married to the deity in the night as per a ritual and become widows the following morning...the Hijras here are known as Aravanis..

The Hijras are fighting for their rights to be treated officially as the Third Gender of India.